Fine adjustments for dial indicators



Jan. 31 1956 L, A. ROCHELEAU 2,733,035

FINE ADJUSTMENTS FOR DIAL INDICATORS AND THE LIKE Filed May 12. 1954 [mug-in:

I'lliiiiiiiia] -i INVENTOR. LEoPow/J. lira/EL EAU United States Patent Office 2,733,035 Patented Jan. 31, 1956 FINE ADJUSTMENTS FGR DIAL INDICATORS AND THE LIKE This invention relates to fine adjustment constructions particularly adapted to holders for dial indicators and represents an improvement over U. S. Patent #2,287,890.

The principal object of the present invention resides in the provision of novel structure increasing the range of fine adjustment of the prior art device; the provision of a replaceable eccentric stud providing for an even greater range of adjustment; the provision of new and improved plastic washers which provide for easier and more sensitive adjustment of the parts of the device and also providing against loosening of the clamping nuts and other parts once set; and also providing against distortion of the setting of the dial rod or dial during operation of the device.

Further objects of the invention include the provision of a simplified but more positive and accurate construction including a shaft on which the combined rod clamp and mounting means for the eccentric stud is rotatably mounted in radial relationship thereon and the adjusted device for cooperation with the stud being fixed on said shaft for movement together as required by the motion of the eccentric stud, together with plastic washers interposed at strategic locations to provide that the clamping nuts move with the shaft to prevent them from working loose during the use of the device.

Further objects of the invention reside in the improved construction providing a positive and smooth movement of the dial rod, so that accurate readings may be taken with little effort.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of a device according to the present invention;

Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are sections taken on the respective lines of Fig. 1, Figs. 3 and 4 being enlarged; and

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the unit, looking in the direction of the arrow 5 in Fig. 1.

In carrying out the present invention, there is provided a base which is of any desired or conventional type and supports an upright rod 12 thereon. The rod 12 provides a support and vertical guide for a slidable member generally indicated at 14 and having clamping engagement with said rod by means of a split clamping plate indicated at 16. This clamping plate is integral with part 14 and has aligned central apertures therethrough for the reception of a cylindrical enlargement 18 on a shaft 20, the latter being threaded at both ends for the reception of clamping nuts 22 and 24. The member 14 is rotatable on the enlargement and hence relative to the shaft 20.

A novel plastic slip washer 26 is interposed between the nut 22 and the more adjacent part of clamping member 16, and this plastic washer is soapy in texture and has a function to be later described. When shaft 20 oscillates, the nut 22 will oscillate with it, and will always return to original position due to the novel washer 26 which bears on the member 14 with pressure derived from the nut.

The clamping member 16 forms one end of the member 14, the other end of which is in the form of a laterally extending arm provided with a pair of vertically spaced ears 28 having aligned bores therein oscillatably accom modating a stud 30 on an axis parallel to shaft 20. Extending laterally of member 14 (see particularly Figs. 3 and 5), the stud 30 is provided with an eccentric pin 32. The stud 30 has applied thereto a radial handle 34 which extends outwardly between the spaced ears 28.

It will therefore be seen that member 14 may be clamped anywhere vertically along the upright 12, and it may be swivelled around it, but in any location the handle 34 may be moved between positions as indicated in Fig. 1 and carries with it the eccentric pin 32.

The eccentric pin 32 is located between a pair of legs 36 extending forwardly from an adjusting member 38 which is fixedly mounted on the shaft 20 at a central portion 40 thereof (see Fig. 4). As the handle 34 is turned between its limits of movement, the member 38 is forced to oscillate by reason of the eccentric pin. Shaft 20 oscillates with member 38, and also oscillates nut 22. Since member 38 is fixed to the shaft 20, the member 14 is axially positioned thereby.

Another clamping member indicated at 42 serves to clamp the dial rod 44 at one end of which is carried the dial or other instrument 46. This clamping piece comprises a pair of resilient legs 48 which are moved toward each other to clamp the dial rod by means of the nut 24, there being another plastic washer 52 interposed between the nut and the adjacent clamping leg 48. Also, there is a large washer 54 interposed between member 38 and the element 14. All the washers provide for frictional clamping of the parts against endwise movement but also oscillatable motion under pressure.

The result of the above construction is that the member 14 carrying the eccentric stud 30 is secured in position on upright 12 and the clamping member 42 is then tightened by nut 24 to clamp the dial rod where it is wanted. Mere manual finger pressure in opposite directions on nuts 22 and 24 serve to tighten the parts to the desired degree and there will be no inaccuracy of any adjustment under any circumstances due to the eccentric 30. The parts are all frictionally locked together against axial movement, and there is considerable friction imposed on washer 54. This washer allows element 38 to oscillate as handle 34 is turned, carrying with it shaft 20, member 42, the dial rod 44, and nuts 22 and 24. All these parts are essentially fixed, and the nuts will be carried back again to original position upon the reverse motion of handle 34, so that there is no distorting the setting under any circumstances; there is no loosening of any clamping action; and the accuracy of the device is greatly enhanced.

This invention provides a 180 movement of the eccentric, thus in turn providing a greater range of adjustment than has been heretofore possible. Merely by changing the stud, different ranges of adjustment of the dial rod can be made. The central washer 54 makes the adjustment more secure and at the same time acts as a thrust bearing to render element 38 free to operate without loosening any of the other parts. There is no distortion or twist of any of the parts, regardless of use due to the new and improved one-part construction of the eccentric alining element 14 which not only carries the eccentric stud but secures the entire device to the upright rod 12.

It is preferred that the ends of the shaft 20 shall be distorted after assembly of the nuts in order to provide against escape of these nuts, but in any event the washers shown render the device greatly improved over similar 3 devices of the prior art, as they act in efiect to cause the nuts 22, 24; the adjusting member 38; the shaft 20; the clamp 42;and rod 44 to become a single unit oscillating about the axis of the shaft under influence of the fixed position member 14. Since the adjusting member 38 is fixed to the shaft, the clamping member 14 may be separately tightened by nut 22, and rod 44 is therefore capable of wide angular rough adjustment with the device in fixed position on the rod 12.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, 1 do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but what I claim is:

l. A support comprising a base, an upright thereon, a slidable clamping member on the upright, a laterally extending arm on the clamping member, a pair of spaced ears on the arm, said ears being apertured on a single axis, a stud in the apertures, a handle extending laterally of the stud in the space between the ears and having an angular rotation of at least 180, an eccentric pin on the stud extending laterally on one ear, an adjusting member, spaced legs on the latter closely receiving the pin, a member to be adjusted associated with the adjusting member, a shaft, means to clamp the clamping member to the upright, means and the adjusting member in spaced relation to the eccentric pin, and means on the shaft to actuate the clamping means to apply friction between the clamping member and the adjusting member.

2. A support comprisin" a base, an upright thereon,

a slidable clamping member on the upright, a laterally extending arm on the clamping member, a pair of spaced ears on the arm, said ears being apertured on a single axis, a stud in the apertures, a handle extending laterally of the stud in the space between the ears and having an angular rotation of at least 180, an eccentric pin on the stud extending laterally of one ear, an adjusting member, spaced legs on the latter closely receiving the pin, a member to be adjusted associated with the adjusting member, a shaft, means to frictionally clamp the clamping member to the upright, said shaft passing through said clamping means and the adjusting member in spaced relation to the eccentric pin and parallel thereto, means on the shaft to actuate the clamping means, and means to apply friction between the clamping member and the adjusting member, and a slip washer between the latter and the clamping means.

3. A support for fine adjustment of an element comprising a rod, a clamping member slidable thereon, an arm on the member, a stud rotatable in the arm, a handle for the stud, an eccentric pin on the stud, an adjusting member receiving the pin for adjusting motion thereby as the handle is actuated, a shaft passing through the clamping member and the adjusting member and oscillatably supporting the latter, a second clamping member on the shaft for mounting the element to be adjusted, a slip washer between the first clamping member and the adjusting member, means on the shaft to exert inward pressure on the clamping members and the adjusting member,

said shaft passing through said clamping 4 and slip washers between said means and its next adjacent member whereby the means in effect are fixed to the shaft and move therewith once arranged in pressure-exerting position.

4. The support of claim 3 wherein the adjusting member is fixed to the shaft and the adjusting member, adjusted rod, shaft, and said means all oscillate together in fixed relation to each other.

5. A support for a dial indicator rod or the like comprising a base, a rod thereon, a frictional clamping member slidably guided on the rod and head against oscillation in one plane thereby, a cross shaft passing through the clamping member, an adjusting member fixed to the shaft, a slip washer between the clamping member and the adjusting member, a second frictional clamping memher next to the adjusting member, means on the first clamping member to oscillate the adjusting member in said plane, means on the shaft to apply inward pressure on the two frictional clamping members and on the adjusting member, and a rod held in the second clamping member.

6. A support for a dial indicator rod or the like comprising a base, a rod thereon, a frictional clamping member slidably guided on the rod and head against oscillation in one plane thereby, a cross shaft passing through the clamping member, an adjusting member fixed to the shaft, a slip washer between the clamping member and the adjusting member, a second frictional clamping member next to the adjusting member, means on the first clamping member to oscillate the adjusting member in said plane, means on the shaft to apply inward pressure on the two frictional clamping members and on the adjusting member, and a rod held in the second clamping means, said adjusting member being located between the clamping members and directly laterally engaging the second-named clamping member.

7. A support for a dial indicator rod or the like comprising a base, a rod thereon, a frictional clamping member slidably guided on the rod and head against oscillation in one place thereby, a cross shaft passing through the clamping member, an adjusting member fixed to the shaft, a slip washer between the clamping member and the adjusting member, a second frictional clamping member next to the adjusting member, means on the first clamping member to oscillate the adjusting member in said plane, means on the shaft to apply inward pressure on the two frictional clamping members and on the adjusting member, and a rod held in the second clamping means, said adjusting member being located between the clamping members and directly laterally engaging the second-named clamping member, said means including a pair of nuts threaded to the shafts, and washers between each nut and its adjacent clamping member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,287,890 Legassey June 30, 1942 

